Section 18 – THE PATENTS ACT, 1970

—(1) Where it appears to the Controller that
the invention so far as claimed in any claim of the complete specification has been
anticipated in the manner referred to in clause (a) of sub section (1) or sub-section (2) of
section 13, he may refuse the application unless the applicant—
(a) shows to the satisfaction of the Controller that the priority date of the claim of his
complete specification is not later than the date on which the relevant document
was published; or
(b) amends his complete specification to the satisfaction of the Controller.
(2) If it appears to the Controller that the invention is claimed in a claim of
any other complete specification referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 13,
he may, subject to the provisions hereinafter contained, direct that a reference to that
other specification shall be inserted by way of notice to the public in the applicant’s
complete specification unless within such time as may be prescribed,—
(a) the applicant shows to the satisfaction of the Controller that the priority date of his
claim is not later than the priority date of the claim of the said other specification;
or
(b) the complete specification is amended to the satisfaction of the Controller.
(3) If it appears to the Controller, as a result of an investigation under section 13 or
otherwise,—
(a) that the invention so far as claimed in any claim of the applicant’s complete
specification has been claimed in any other complete specification referred to in
clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 13; and
(b) that such other complete specification was published on or after the priority date of
the applicant’s claim,
then, unless it is shown to the satisfaction of the Controller that the priority date of the
applicant’s claim is not later than the priority date of the claim of that specification, the
provisions of sub-section (2) shall apply thereto in the same manner as they apply to a
specification published on or after the date of filing of the applicant’s complete
specification.
(4)Omitted by the Patents (Amendment) Act, 2005